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The Same. Another Part of the same Street, before the House of BRUTUS. | |
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Enter PORTIA and LUCIUS. | |
| Por. I prithee, boy, run to the senate-house; | |
| Stay not to answer me, but get thee gone. | |
| Why dost thou stay? | 5 |
| Luc. To know my errand, madam. | |
| Por. I would have had thee there, and here again, | |
| Ere I can tell thee what thou shouldst do there. | |
| O constancy! be strong upon my side; | |
| Set a huge mountain ’tween my heart and tongue; | 10 |
| I have a man’s mind, but a woman’s might. | |
| How hard it is for women to keep counsel! | |
| Art thou here yet? | |
| Luc. Madam, what shall I do? | |
| Run to the Capitol, and nothing else? | 15 |
| And so return to you, and nothing else? | |
| Por. Yes, bring me word, boy, if thy lord look well, | |
| For he went sickly forth; and take good note | |
| What Cæsar doth, what suitors press to him. | |
| Hark, boy! what noise is that? | 20 |
| Luc. I hear none, madam. | |
| Por. Prithee, listen well: | |
| I heard a bustling rumour, like a fray, | |
| And the wind brings it from the Capitol. | |
| Luc. Sooth, madam, I hear nothing. | 25 |
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Enter the Soothsayer. | |
| Por. Come hither, fellow: which way hast thou been? | |
| Sooth. At mine own house, good lady. | |
| Por. What is ’t o’clock? | |
| Sooth. About the ninth hour, lady. | 30 |
| Por. Is Cæsar yet gone to the Capitol? | |
| Sooth. Madam, not yet: I go to take my stand, | |
| To see him pass on to the Capitol. | |
| Por. Thou hast some suit to Cæsar, hast thou not? | |
| Sooth. That I have, lady: if it will please Cæsar | 35 |
| To be so good to Cæsar as to hear me, | |
| I shall beseech him to befriend himself. | |
| Por. Why, know’st thou any harm’s intended towards him? | |
| Sooth. None that I know will be, much that I fear may chance. | |
| Good morrow to you. Here the street is narrow: | 40 |
| The throng that follows Cæsar at the heels, | |
| Of senators, of prætors, common suitors, | |
| Will crowd a feeble man almost to death: | |
| I’ll get me to a place more void, and there | |
| Speak to great Cæsar as he comes along. [Exit. | 45 |
| Por. I must go in. Ay me! how weak a thing | |
| The heart of woman is. O Brutus! | |
| The heavens speed thee in thine enterprise. | |
| Sure, the boy heard me: Brutus hath a suit | |
| That Cæsar will not grant. O! I grow faint. | 50 |
| Run, Lucius, and commend me to my lord; | |
| Say I am merry: come to me again, | |
| And bring me word what he doth say to thee. [Exeunt, severally. | |
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